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As we have seen time after time, hazardous areas for the presence of potentially explosive
substances are divided into zones.
As reference to gases, vapors or mists, the relevant areas are classified in Zone 0, 1 or 2. The
reference standard is the IEC / EN 60079-10-1.
As reference to dust, the relevant areas are classified in Zone 20, 21 or 22. The reference standard
is the IEC / EN 60079-10-2.
As we know, an explosion occurs when an ignition source is in contact with the explosive
atmosphere.
This situation must be absolutely avoided.
In the most dangerous areas, in which the risk of explosion is caused by the presence of explosive
gas or dust for long periods of time during the year, the equipment installed must have very high
levels of protection. In the less dangerous areas, as the Zone 2 for gas and the Zone 22 for dust,
you can use equipment with lower levels of protection.
THE CHOICE OF AN EQUIPMENT
The choice of an appropriate equipment has a key role in designing a system installed in
hazardous areas.
Some of the most important points are the following:
Functionality of the device
Suitability for all environmental and operating conditions provided
Requirements of explosion protection.
In order to meet those requirements, a new level of equipment protection was introduced at IEC
level called the Equipment Protection Level whose acronym is EPL.
CATEGORIES OF EQUIPMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIRECTIVE 94/9/EC
In the past, before the introduction of the ATEX Directive 94/9/EC, the protection method was the
only compulsory requirement for the use of equipment in each respective area.
For example, the use of a device in Zone 0 was possible only if it met the level of intrinsic safety
Ex ia in Zone 1 could be used, for example, the type of protection Ex d or Ex e.
With the introduction of the ATEX Directive 94/9/EC, the focus moved from the technical
requirements of the equipment, identified by the way of protection, to the installation area. In
practice, different equipment, apart from the type of protection, are classified into three categories
for gases and others three for dusts, which correspond to the area in which they can be installed.
For maximum clarity, have a look at the following table:
ATEX category
1G
2G
3G
1D
2D
3D
Substances
Gas
Gas
Gas
Dusts
Dusts
Dusts
Protection Level
Very high
High
Normal
Very high
High
Normal
Zone
Zone 0
Zone 1
Zone 2
Zone 20
Zone 21
Zone 22
ATEX category
1G
Zone 1
1G - 2G
Zone 2
1G 2G - 3G
Zone 20
Zone 21
Zone 22
1D
1D - 2D
1D 2D - 3D
EN 60079-14 standard of March 2010 introduced a method for risk assessment that considers the
equipment levels of protection (EPL).
These EPL were introduced to allow an alternative approach to the methods currently used for the
selection of Ex equipment.
As we have seen above, the traditional approach assigns the appropriate types of protection for
specific areas using statistical data, based on how is most likely or frequent an explosive
atmosphere.
EPL indicates the risk of ignition intrinsic to the equipment, independently from the type of
protection adopted.
It was recognized that its advantageous to identify and mark all the products based on their
intrinsic risk of ignition.
This should make easier the equipment selection.
This method is an alternative and not a substitute of the traditional one and so far has created
some difficulty in understanding.
In the following table, you can see the comparison between EPL and ATEX Category:
Zone
ATEX category
Way of protection
EPL
1G
Ga
2G
3G
20
21
22
1D
2D
3D
Ex ia Ex ma
Ex d Ex e Ex i Ex m Ex
p Ex o Ex q
Ex d Ex e Ex i Ex m Ex
p Ex o Ex q Ex n
pD mD tD iaD - ibD
pD mD tD iaD - ibD
pD mD tD iaD - ibD
Gb
Gc
Da
Db
Dc
The letters "G" and "D" of ATEX category determine whether the equipment can be used in areas
containing hazardous gases or dusts. In the classification of EPL, 1, 2 and 3 categories have been
replaced by the letters a, b, c.
The use of letters instead of numbers is more logic to non-European producers and users.
For example, for many years is applied a distinction between the levels of protection and
intrinsically safety ia and ib. The additional letters describe the fault conditions for which the
device is safe.